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I've come across some large halite crystals recently. They came from core samples, and we're stored in a very dusty place. What is the best method for cleaning 30 years of crud off them? I know soaking the in water is a "no-go"

Last weekend I went to Crystal Mountain, it is a retail store with attached cafe, animal feeding, small rollercoaster (for the kids), large indoor playground etc overall a pretty cool place to visit. Under the shop there is a museum, which is what this post is about - not your typical museum, a lot of things are unlabeled unfortunately, it's quite small (just 3 large rooms with corridors) all set up to look like you're deep underground in a cave. These photos are in no particular order I got my youngest (6 years old) to pose in front of some of the really big crystals to add a bit of scale The complete skeletons and dinosaur skull are plastic

Hey everyone. Just stopping by to introduce myself. I'm Carrie from Hutchinson Island FL. I am a novice fossil collector, and hope to learn as much as I can from everyone here!!!

I found this in creek in Warrenton MO. Can you identify? Amy

Hello. I want to show you some examples from my collection. This is a Carboniferous wood. The preservation is not the best, but for me these samples are interesting for the presence of crystals of smoky and ordinary quartz on them. A sliver that has broken off from a larger fragment. There is more quartz than wood Perhaps a stem or stump - it is almost round in cross section. And thickly overgrown with crystals. Large flattened fragment; perhaps the first sliver was from it.

Found this on the side of a large rock from a mine dump. Couldn't take it home, but thought it was cool, any idea what it is?

So guys its very randomly im not collector or something like this - I buy through auction houses , and I buy a fossil last day because its was on low price and no one wanted to buy it. I tried to search any information to how recognize if its fake or real and value there is no information about it , so I will be happy to get more information about it. I buy it inexpensively. I know its above 100g didn't weight it still because it's shipping to me right now and he got lot of minerals crystal and the things that grow on it with the years There is the pictures , sorry for bad english

Hi, I found this stone in...a charity shop. I really love it but I’m not sure what type of stone it is and the only one I can connect it to would be stromatolite. It has more unusual pattern though. Please could someone help me with identification. It has a clear quartz (I think) in the middle, it should be visible on the photo. Thanks

Parkinsonia parkinsoni (ammonite) Jurassic, Upper inferior Oolite Bridport Dorset. UK 6.5" The first photos I took a few years ago did nothing for this unique specimen. I found it difficult capturing the details and still think they could be better. The ammonite has many chambers preserved in calcite that glow when backlit. Calcite crystals can be seen growing inside some of the empty chambers. Fossil, mineral, crystals, art, science, love Happy collecting.

I am unsure if this is where I should be posting this--if it's not the correct page, please let me know! I was given this as a gift. Unfortunately, I am not sure where it came from. Does anyone know what mineral this is?

hi, can you please help... I thought this was pegmatite but not so sure. It broke easily and once cracked I was able to break chunks off by hand it has mica, crystals they look purplish or grey i also think black...thanks in advance

Someone I know from Instagram sent me these photos and asked for an ID but I don’t have any idea as to what this might be. Sorry for the lack of measurements. Any help would be much appreciated.

Trying to find out what kind of crystals he's our guy was told it's just a different type of Amber they look kind of like fools gold little half domes not sure

What are the little white bumps on top of this rock? Thanks for all help!

I spotted this broken ammonite with Crystal's forming inside... I haven't seen this before does anyone know what the crystals could be.... Thanks....

I am wondering if anybody else has ever come across a fossilized Seabiscuit that is showing some form of crystallization

All the beauty you see against the blue sky is a story of time from the book of rocks, uplifting, cleaving, and eroding in wonderful ways. I searched and got this Socorro County geologic map. A rather immense amount of study involved in this document. Best at 175% zoom. If I lived there all the time I might come to understand it. https://geoinfo.nmt.edu/publications/openfile/downloads/200-299/238/ofr_238.pdf

I found this rock in my old collection. I have no idea where it is from, all I know is that the crystals are red, very shiny and glittery, and very small.

TOTALLY GAGA, wow, I don’t care if it doesn’t have fossils- I AM IN LOVE! Tons of blingy wow. Photos don’t do it justice. As that great orator, Pee-wee Herman, said, “If you like it so much, why don’t you marry it?”

THIS ONE HAS SEXY FOSSILS- heck, I can even feel the cockles clamming-up over this one! Sooooo... did I get this right? (Not volcanic glass, and definitely from “ancient water”....right?). :-D

A while ago I bought this tiny gault clay ammonite preserved in pyrite and in a few months of storage next to dessicant mineral these strange white crystals have grown. -pyrite disease?

Hello to all, I am new to south western Utah, looking forward to getting advice and learning about the ancient life here. Are there any good collecting sites for trilobites and maybe fish fossils here in the southwest part of the state?

Nice to meet everyone. I hail from MS and travel all over the US. My hobby is to dig and surface collect fossils, gems, crystals, rocks, etc.

I have been here at the forums for quite sometime now ( I think since I found my first fossils on a trip to Missouri close to 20 years ago?!) Work and life has been very busy and had prevented me from anything more than online hunting, you tube video's, and the lack of actual sites close to where I currently live. (Currently I live above the San Joaquin Valley, in a small mountain community named North Fork. I have had wonderful years here hunting arrow heads and various rocks and minerals, Have found many crystals at the old gold mine sites which are numerous over in Mariposa county next to me, and have had a great time up here! However, I took a trip to Missouri many moons ago to help a family member relocate out here to Nevada, which is when the unexpected happened. When we went to rent the moving truck to begin loading, my mom went inside to handle the rental, and as per my "norm" I took off walking across an open fields with, eyes to the ground,, towards the back of the lot and behind the row of trucks parked ready for rent, towards the railroad tracks. I was finding different minerals and such and then by chance I kicked over a plain down rudy clay looking rock, when I noticed it had a pattern to it. I looked closer and it was a plant fossil ! I was ecstatic, and thrilled does not even begin to cover it. I found several more all of different varieties when I began to notice what the 'commonalities' were with the ones I was finding. From that point on I was hooked! I made several trips back there just for the rock hunting and had found many wonderful 'treasures' which I cherished. I then began to explore more of Missouri to see what else there was to find in this state, and lets put it this way, the first thing on my bucket list is to return to Missouri!!! It got even better, after having my eyes opened so to speak as when we left there we headed to a ranch to spend the night that was owned by family back there. They have an 80 acre ranch. When we got there and I stepped out of the truck, I looked down and could NOT believe my eyes. There were fossils just laying around and exposed all up and down the dirt road which lead from the highway and into the 80 acres. I hunted for the rest of that evening and found more treasures. I have never forgotten that trip, and like I said I plan on gong back there one day before I die, and attempt to find more of those little treasures which made so darned happy so many years ago....and the family back there still owns the ranch too! I have since retired due to disability (heart) and find I have more time available than money naturally, so I am here to begin exploring what is available or close by where I live now, and also any near Fernley NV.. where I spend several months at at time there helping my Mom. I have small amounts of silver in quartz rock, (no gold yet though) many heads, awesome crystals, but my real desire is to find more fossils! So if anyone has any information or recommendations for me I would love to know about them! I am aware of the fossils found down in the Valley at the old landfill dump site in Madera, (wooly mammoth bones, sabre tooth tiger etc.) and I have heard of a dry creek bed somewhere down around the town of Dos Palos and of course Shark Hill and the Ernst Quarries and Ant Hill which is now closed. However its a vast area there, with miles and miles of open high desert area, which leads me to hope that those are not the ONLY areas where one can hunt for sharks teeth and other sea life fossils. Here's to hope! and forgive my long winded introduction but I am happy to be here once again and I'm looking forward to getting to know other members here. Thank you! Debra